Embodiments of the inventive concepts described herein relate to semiconductor memories, and more particularly, to storage devices and methods of operating storage devices.
A storage device is a device that stores data under control of a host device, such as a computer, a smart phone, and a smart pad. The storage device typically contains either a magnetic disk memory (e.g., Hard Disk Drive) for storing data, or a semiconductor memory (e.g., Solid State Drive or memory card) for storing data. In either case, the memory may be nonvolatile in that stored data is retained even in the absence of supplied power.
Examples of nonvolatile semiconductor memory include ROM (Read Only Memory), PROM (Programmable ROM), EPROM (Electrically Programmable ROM), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable and Programmable ROM), flash memory, PRAM (Phase-change RAM), MRAM (Magnetic RAM), RRAM (Resistive RAM), or FRAM (Ferroelectric RAM).
With advancements in semiconductor fabrication technology allowing for reductions in scale, the integration degree and memory capacity of storage devices continue to increase, thus pushing costs downward. However, the scaling down of device components in this manner creates numerous roadblocks to maintaining device reliability.